


Vinsmoke

by Cyriusli



Category: One Piece
Genre: 32 Days of Sanji, Angst, M/M, mental and emotional trauma, parallel timeline, several creative liberties taken, spoilers for 810 and up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-19 10:50:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7358242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyriusli/pseuds/Cyriusli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sanji's home and he's hating every second of it. Determined to not simply play into his father's games, he refuses the marriage set to take place between the Vinsmokes and the Charlottes. His family has other plans, but Sanji stands steadfast in his decision. The marriage will go on, they claim, even if it costs Sanji his sanity. And it will.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Family

**Author's Note:**

> This story will take place over the course of the month using the prompt words from the 32 Days of Sanji event on Tumblr.
> 
> I can assure you there will be no rape or sexual abuse in this, but it will be traumatic. The idea behind this was to put a negative spin on each of the words and delve into the possible emotional and mental trauma that Sanji may have endured when little.
> 
> This story will not be fun. This story will not have a happy ending.
> 
> It will run a parallel timeline to the manga, with spoilers throughout it, but nothing too major, I don't think. It will focus on Sanji's stay at the Vinsmoke house/manor in the days prior to his marriage to Pudding Charlotte. It will focus more on his relationships with his siblings and delve into a couple of my own head canons as well.
> 
> Please, if you feel I missed any tags appropriate for this, let me know, I will gladly add them. I will add more as I go and see fit as well. I know I can write some heavy stuff, but everyone safety and mental/emotional state is a concern of mine and I don't want to see anyone get upset or hurt over not tagging properly.

_‘Zoro, when we get married, I want to take your name.’_

_Sanji sat quietly as the swordsman choked on his mouthful of booze, coughing and spitting before he looked bewildered over at the blond. Okay, maybe making that comment in the middle of him drinking hadn’t been the best of ideas, but hell, he needed to say it and he was pretty sure it was the calmness of the night spurring him on anyway._

_‘Yeah sure,’ Zoro’s voice was broken and raw, no doubt from his coughing. Clearing his throat, he kept on however, throwing an arm around Sanji and tugging him close. ‘I thought you would anyway, I guess. I mean, I always figured you didn’t have a last name, like Nami.’_

_‘No, I do.’ Carefully, Sanji plucked the bottle from Zoro’s hands, taking a quick drink before handing it back. It tasted like shit and burned all the way down his throat, but he was certain he was going to need it to finish this conversation. They fell into a tense silence then; Zoro was expecting him to continue and Sanji wasn’t really sure he wanted to._

_With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair and glanced off toward the grass on the lawn deck. Dew was beginning to collect on the cropped strands, the sweet smell of fresh cut grass still in the air from Franky mowing it earlier in the evening. ‘You don’t have to—’ Zoro started, but Sanji cut him off._

_‘Yeah, I do.’ Voice cracking, he finally turned to face the swordsman and Sanji met his eyes. Zoro hadn’t ever done anything but trust him, as all the crew had, and he’d been lying. Well, not exactly lying, just not telling them the whole truth; but shit, he had walked away from that life, it didn’t matter anymore, right? ‘I  just never told you.’_

_Zoro blinked slowly, his steel eyes catching the light of the open galley door as he waited for Sanji to continue on. ‘It’s not a name I am proud of, which is why I didn’t tell you; which is why I want your name.’_

_‘All right.’ Zoro replied calmly, as if that ended the entire conversation. Shitty bastard, so understanding, so trusting… ‘So you take my name. Done deal Cook.’_

_‘It’s Vinsmoke.’ Sanji blurted out, quickly chasing the foul taste of his name with the foul taste of Zoro’s alcohol as he snatched it from his hand. As much as he couldn’t stand the swordsman’s taste in cheap liquor, it was much better than the taste of his own name on his tongue._

_‘Easy Swirly.’ Carefully, the swordsman took the bottle from him, setting it behind them on a higher stair. ‘Never heard of that name before, so what’s it matter anyway? You’re Sanji, and soon enough you’ll be a Roronoa too.’_

* * *

 Why now of all times that moment popped into his head, Sanji wasn’t sure, but fuck, it had. He wondered where his crew was, what they would be saying about him as they undoubtedly knew who his family was now. Sanji wondered how Zoro would be reacting to this. _Sanji; martyr of the Strawhats_ , he’d most likely scoff. He wiped his sweaty palms on his slacks, before stuffing them in his pockets and took a deep breath.

He knew who lay on the other side of the thick door in front of him: A family he’d disowned and left behind years before. They may have been blood, but they weren’t his family, not anymore. Sanji wasn’t sure if they ever had been.

And now he had to go in there, face the family he had walked away from and decline this marriage he’d unwantedly agreed to. Why? Because he’d found a new family that he loved and adored; already vowed to love and protect another and that’s what he was doing, protecting his family, protecting his lover. He hoped Luffy, Zoro and the others understood that.

Sanji wasn’t sure he was ready to have this conversation yet; to face his father and tell him he wasn’t going to play as his pawn. His siblings had already jabbed and sneered at him, the older ones welcoming back their baby brother. His father would be an entirely different situation altogether.

Sanji swallowed, feeling a cold sweat bead at his brow as a shudder ran through him. Shit, he was a mess. He fingered at the ring in his pocket, having wisely discarded it there before anyone was able to take notice. Fuck, what would the crew say if they could see him now. What would Zoro say? He’d probably tell him that Sanji was disgracing the name. _Roronoas don’t piss themselves at the first sign of danger Shit Cook._ That’s what Zoro would say. He could hear the other man’s condescending laughter in his head and it made Sanji grind his teeth.

“I _am_ a Roronoa.” Sanji hissed under his breath as he stared at the large door. “Blackleg Sanji Roronoa, chef to the future Pirate King and the only man on this planet with the balls to stand toe to toe with Roronoa fucking Zoro. Get your shit together.”

Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and exhaled. It was now or never.

Slipping his ring back on his finger, Sanji pulled his hand from his pocket, lighter between the digits. He needed a cigarette; needed to calm his nerves, slow his racing heart. The first drag was clean, filling his lungs and sending a buzz through him.

He could do this.

He had to do this.

Slipping his lighter back in his pocket, Sanji braced both hands against the door, staring at the simple band of gold around his finger as he pushed. Zoro and the rest of the crew may not have been standing with him as he pushed open the doors, but they were there in spirit; Sanji could feel it.

“There he is.” Sanji heard his younger brother, and the others, chuckle off to the side. Sanji didn’t even acknowledge his siblings. Snapping his hands into fists at his sides, he tipped his head back slightly, raising his chin, and walked across the large room to stand just a few feet away from the front of the large desk his father sat behind.

“Welcome home,” the man sneered and it took everything Sanji had not to curl his lip and snarl at him. “I hear you have met your bride. Beautiful, isn’t she?”

He couldn’t disagree there. “Yes,” he spoke stiffly, keeping his tone low and his words short. “She will make a lovely bride.”

It wasn’t a lie. She had been a wonderful person. She enjoyed baking and had a light and bubbly personality, but something dark dwelled deep in her and even if Sanji had been single and in a place to want to marry, he wouldn’t have agreed to marry her. It was one of the few times in his life he could remember wanting to get away from a proper lady.

“Interesting to hear you say that Sanji.” The sound of his name coming from his father’s mouth made bile rise up his throat. It was sinister and cruel. He was simply a tool to the man, a number, clearly, as he and his siblings had so been named. “I was told when my tailor came to fit you for your tuxedo you refused.”

“I did.” Sanji kept his voice monotone, pursing his lips around his cigarette.

“Any particular reason?” His father raised an eyebrow at him.

“He’s gotten cold feet Father!” His sister called out.

“Little Sanji doesn’t have the balls to do it!” His older brothers howled with laughter and soon the youngest joined in.

“Be quiet!” Their father snapped and the four cut off instantly. Sanji did smirk a little at that. Sure, maybe he didn’t have what it took to marry this girl and break the oath he’d already set in place, but at least he could stand up to their father. That he did have the balls for. And ironically, he could thank his husband for that. “Answer the question Sanji.”

Sanji pulled the cigarette from his mouth, making sure to do so with his left hand. Exhaling a cloud of smoke as he spoke, he shrugged a shoulder. “I’m not a Vinsmoke anymore. I tried to politely decline the fitting, but he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

“Not a Vinsmoke?” His father started, lacing his fingers together and settling his hands on the desk. “Do you honestly think that just because you ran away when little, that somehow renounces your family name?”

“No,” Sanji drawled out, knowing his nonchalant tone would just serve to piss his father off. “I never used it, but until a couple years ago, it was still my name… unfortunately.”

“So what changed?” Sanji could hear his father grind his teeth from his chair. He was surprised he was still sitting honestly. The man Sanji remembered would have come over that desk and tried to kill him by now. Maybe he was simply restraining himself because it would look badly if the groom arrived to the wedding covered in bruises. “Or have you simply decided ‘Blackleg’ is your surname now? One cannot simply decide a new name.”

Sanji shook his head, returning his cigarette to his mouth. Slipping his hands into his pockets to hide his shaking hands, he shifted his weight slightly. Sanji was fairly certain that within the next few spoken sentences, he would either be in a fight or at the very least Sky Walking toward the ceiling to get the fuck away from his family. They may have also had the ability to lift from the ground, but Sanji could actually fly and he would prove it if need be.

“Than what?” His father tapped his fingers on his desk. He was holding back, Sanji could see it in the way his shoulders were tensing and he growled out each word. “What could you have possibly changed your name to that would cause you to disrupt and delay this ceremony.”

“Roronoa.” If ever a time for him to be more proud of his name and Zoro wasn’t even here to see it. Pity really, but he knew that the swordsman would never let him live it down if he had been there. Of course had he been there, blood would have already been shed.

“Roronoa?” His father rolled the name across his tongue, not recognizing it at all. Well one day he would, if not from Zoro, than from Sanji himself.

Of course it would have been his sister to jump to her feet in a gasp. “You don’t mean…? Father, I think what our Little Sanji is trying to say is that he’s already gotten married! And to some common no-name swordsman as well!”

Sanji spun on his heel, fury and rage snapping to the surface. “The only one allowed to call him that is _me_ . You don’t know him, you don’t know any of them! That swordsman is going to be the World’s Greatest someday and the name of Roronoa holds much more merit than _Vinsmoke_ ever did!”

“You’re married?” His father choked out. Sanji heard him stand from his chair, slamming his hands to his desk. Sanji jerked in his place, closing his eyes and swallowing down his childhood fear of the man. His father’s voice was restrained as he carefully snapped out each word. “You got married?”

“You don’t own me.” Sanji turned back to his father, tonguing at his cigarette. “You never owned me. I _ran away_ from you so I could live my life. Why do you think that out of everything, I would think to not get married because possibly one day, you would finally decide a use for me? Please,” he scoffed. “I never intended for you to find me again.”

“You’re going through with this wedding.”

“No. I’m not.”

Behind him, his oldest brother laughed, making the hairs rise up on the back of Sanji’s neck. It was the same laugh from when they were little, the type of laugh that made one think he was out to kill a puppy. Only, knowing Sanji’s brother, he probably was. “Don’t worry Father,” he started and his tone made Sanji look over his shoulder at him, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. “The wedding will go on. Little Sanji, he will attend and he will marry that girl.”

Sanji inhaled to speak, but his father spoke first. “And what makes you say that Ichiji?”

“Send Niji and I.” He slung an arm over the brother closest to him and Sanji saw as they both grinned viciously. “See, we have a name now; Roronoa. And that’s all we need.”


	2. Love

_ ‘I love you.’ _

_ Sanji paused in his cutting to look up at Zoro from where he sat across the counter from him in the galley. ‘What?’ he choked out as he met the other man's eyes. _

_ Zoro quirked a small smile from under the hand his head was propped against. ‘I said, I love you. Gone deaf Shit Cook?’ _

_ Sanji clicked his tongue and set the knife down, grabbing at the towel he had to wipe off his hands. Walking around the counter, Zoro turned to face him as he stepped up to the swordsman. _

_ Instantly, Zoro reached out, hands resting lightly on Sanji's thin hips as he looked up at him. Out of them both, never in a thousand years did Sanji think Zoro would be the first one to say it. ‘I…’ he started, biting at his lip and digging his fingers into where he'd rested them on Zoro's shoulders. _

_ ‘It's okay,’ Zoro’s voice was low, quiet like it was right after sex, when the only other person in the world was Sanji and Zoro was going to make sure the blond knew it. His eyes were lidded and he leaned up to peck Sanji’s cheek. ‘I wasn't expecting you to say it back.’ _

_ ‘Than why?’ Sanji breathed out, watching the swirls of gray in Zoro's piercing eyes. _

_ ‘Because I was ready to. I know you will when you're ready as well. For once, this isn't a contest Sanji. I will wait patiently until you can say it back.’ _

_ Sanji quirked a small smile, twisting his wrists to lock his hands together behind Zoro’s neck. ‘Say it again,’ he whispered quietly, ducking down so their noses almost touched. _

_ Zoro tugged him closer, wrapping one arm around the blond’s hips as the other came up to cup his cheek. ‘I love you Sanji.’ _

_ ‘Ya know what Zoro,’ Sanji started, not caring as he grinned at the swordsman. ‘I think I may love you too.’ _

* * *

“I love you,” Sanji mumbled out, watching the sea from his bedroom window. The waters looked dark, cold and uninviting, far different than the blues and greens he was used to seeing from the Sunny’s rails. It felt more like a prison with the thick seastone bars blocking the depressing view. He gripped one tightly, dropping his head against it and feeling the tingle of the deep sea against his skin. “Wherever you are, far from here I hope.”

“Ah, listen to him Ichiji. Little Sanji actually in love, for real.” Sanji snapped his head around, glaring at his brothers, eyes landing on Niji. “It's pathetic really, but then again, he always was the disappointment of the family.”

“Get the fuck out you two!” Sanji snarled out, twisting on his feet and stepping back into a defensive stance. Unconsciously, he tapped his toes against the polished wooden flooring, body tense as he watched his older brothers. If they were looking for a fight, he would readily give them one.

Ichiji slid his hands into his pockets, looking over to Niji. “Is that some sort of tick he's picked up? Tapping the floor like that.” Both of them laughed openly and Sanji snapped his hands into fists, growling under his breath. “Learned that from his precious husband, no doubt.”

Niji was still laughing as he closed the door to Sanji's room and locked it. His eyes flicked to Ichiji as he spoke. “Now, we didn't come to fight Little Sanji, we came to talk.”

“Bullshit, I have nothing to say to you. Get the hell out!” Sanji snapped at them, doing his best to glare them down. Already he could feel the fear rise up his throat as they simply stood several feet away. Shit, this wasn't good. They used to gang up on him when they were little and he was sure they were just itching to do so again. The only way this situation would be worse was if his sister was here too.

Thank fuck his sister wasn't here.

Niji sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. “Come on Little Sanji, when have we ever lied to you?”

“Yeah,” Ichiji agreed, lips curling into a sneer as he took a step toward Sanji. “We came to talk about your husband. Roronoa Zoro, he looked like quite the fascinating man; saw his wanted poster.”

Before he had a chance to react, Niji darted forward and tackled Sanji, pinning him against the wall. Under normal circumstances Sanji knew he would have been able to dodge such an open attack, but his brothers were dredging up years of trauma he thought he'd gotten over and their mere presence was making his person resort to how he would have reacted when he was little. Scared and frozen in place, simply waiting for the latest horrors they sought to pass down to him.

His brother slammed his chest hard against the wall and twisted his arm behind his back roughly. Sanji could feel his wrist pop and he tried to brace his weight on his left arm, but Niji’s larger bulk was pinning him down. In all honesty, it bared some similarities to when Zoro did it, but the glaring differences were that he wasn't aroused and Zoro wouldn't have actually been trying to hurt him. “Get off me!”

Sanji jerked his shoulders, but all his brother did was lean against him more. “Now, Little Sanji,” Ichiji swam into his vision, pushing his hair from his eyes and behind his ear. The normally loving gesture simply made his skin crawl. It was a move right from their sister, she'd done that to him all the time right before she did something equally as horrible. “Is that any way to talk to your brothers?”

“Just because we share the same blood,” he grunted out, jerking against Niji, but finding the action only seemed to make him press against him tighter. It was beginning to become hard to breathe with his weight heavy on his chest. “Doesn't make you my brothers.”

“Oh and let me guess, Strawhat Luffy and God Usopp are?” Ichiji didn’t laugh, but Sanji could see it in his eyes, the dark blue swirling with mischief and hate.

“Oh oh and let’s not forget the girls. The things I would  _ love  _ to do to that Cat Burglar.” Niji actually licked Sanji’s ear, making him shudder from the gross action.

“Don’t you fucking touch them!” Sanji ground out, trying to shift his legs, but Niji had him pinned down. Fucking bastards, just like when they were all little.

“Seriously though, Little Sanji, we came to talk to you about Zoro.” Ichiji pulled away from him slightly as Sanji jerked his shoulders once more. “Niji, let him up, we haven’t come to hurt him after all.”

The moment Sanji felt Niji’s weight come off him, he braced against the wall and kicked out, barking out a laugh when he felt and heard the loud crack of his brother’s jaw. Whipping around he put some distance between himself and Niji, already finding Ichiji was standing at the door. “Leave me the fuck alone you two! I’m not a little kid for you to fuck with anymore!”

“Clearly.” Sanji got great satisfaction out of seeing Niji spit blood to the floor. “You’re going to regret kicking me though, that’s for sure.”

“So,” Ichiji crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, ignoring Niji’s comment and looking pointedly at Sanji. “Roronoa Zoro. I must say, I wasn’t expecting  _ that _ out of you.”

“Yeah, right! Little Sanji, sucking dick of all things.” Sanji grit his teeth. They were trying to get a rise out of him. He couldn’t let them see just how much Zoro meant to him. “Oh, I gotta know, who’s the bitch? You or him?” Niji always was the instigator.

Sanji snapped his hands into fists and inhaled sharply through his nose, shooting a defiant glare at his brother. “Staying silent won’t help you,” Ichiji offered. “We will find him one way or another.”

“I don’t think it will be all that hard honestly Ichiji. I mean, all we gotta do it drop our sweet brother’s name somewhere and I am sure his dear husband would come running.” Niji was making hand gestures as he talked, walking his fingers through the air to imitate Zoro trying to find him before snapping his hand into a fist. “Like a rabbit in a snare, so very simple.”

He’d like to say Zoro wasn’t that stupid, but honestly, that plan probably would work. Fucking retarded plant. He barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes, snorting back a mocking laugh instead. “And when we do,” Ichiji kept on, completely ignoring Niji and maintaining his focus on Sanji. “When we do, Little Sanji, that’s when the fun begins.”

“I’m sure you love him,” his eldest brother went on, taking a step toward him away from the door. “Why else would you hide a ring until you thought wearing it was deemed appropriate.”

Suddenly his wedding band felt heavy on his finger and he shoved his hand in his pocket to try and hide it. “How do you know I just didn’t pick it up and I’m lying about the entire thing?” Sanji shot back. To the public eye, he and Zoro hated each other. Why couldn’t he just try to keep that going right now? Sanji made sure to keep his expression schooled and his voice neutral. “Maybe I just used his name and I’m making the entire thing up.”

“Let’s say you are. I’m one for giving you the benefit of the doubt. You lied, you got one past Father, good for you.” Something in his brother’s tone and the way Niji was practically vibrating with excitement from where he stood told Sanji this wasn’t going to end well. Ichiji stepped closer still, making Sanji flinch when he reached out and dropped a hand onto his shoulder. “Seriously, good for you.”

Sanji shrugged him off, taking a step back. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

“So, then, you won’t mind it when we find him, will you? You won’t mind it when we drag his broken ass back here to present to Father, will you? If you really are making this entire marriage up, you won’t mind when we  _ kill _ him so that you are no longer supposedly legally bound to him,  _ will you _ ?”

Fuck! Fuck his brother. Sanji sucked in a breath, preparing to speak, but Ichiji’s smirk stopped him.

“I, however,” he went on, continuing with his little self entitled speech. “I don’t think you are, lying that is. When you arrived, I noticed that you had been wearing a ring. Your skin may be pale, but clearly, you’ve been wearing that wedding band for a while.”

Niji snickered from where he stood, watching Sanji’s every move. Sanji, in turn, felt frozen to the spot. His heart was racing and his mind reeling with what his brother had just said to him. Ichiji sounded almost bored with the entire encounter, like he was only telling Sanji out of courtesy or some shit. “I just never expected it to be Roronoa Zoro of all people! Again,  _ good for you! _ Reiju seemed rather enthralled with him. I’m sure she would love to meet him.”

“You keep her away from him.” The words were breathed out before Sanji realized what he was doing. The knowing look on Ichiji’s face told him what he’d done and Sanji paled, feeling himself shake slightly where he stood. “I’m not telling you anything,” he spat out, hoping his voice sounded much stronger than it did to his own ears.

“Oh, you misunderstand Little Sanji.” His elder brothers exchanged a knowing smirk before turning back to him. It made his blood run cold and the hair on the back of his neck rise. So many horrible memories, things he thought he’d forgotten suddenly came flooding back to the surface and it took all Sanji had to not burst into tears.

“We didn’t come to ask you on his location, we are pretty sure you don’t know.” Niji kept on, his sadistic smile growing wider with every word. “We came to tell you that we will find him. And when we do, we are gonna make sure that him begging for his life is the last thing he ever says.”


	3. Spice

_ ‘And so then I said, perhaps this dish is a little too spicy for you.’ _

_ Zoro snorted from where he rested his head on Sanji’s leg and the blond looked down to him through his arms with a wide grin. ‘You did  _ not _ say that, did you?’ The swordsman rolled his eyes, but he was smiling too. _

_ ‘Of course.’ Carving out an apple slice, Sanji offered it to Zoro, who opened his mouth to take it without hesitation. ‘Don’t tell me you don’t say something after defeating someone.’ _

_ ‘Well, I do,’ the swordsman paused as he chewed, swallowing before continuing on. ‘But it usually isn’t something as stupid as that.’ _

_ Sanji clicked his tongue and picked up another apple. ‘No apple crisp for you tonight then after dinner.’ _

_ ‘That’s not fair!’ Sitting up, Zoro reached over Sanji toward the bowl of sliced apples. The blond simply raised a brow at him, but let him pick a few from the bowl. They were both still rather tired and honestly Sanji didn’t have the energy to fight with the swordsman. He was just happy that they had all returned back from Enies Lobby, safe and sound. _

_ Sanji wasn't cooking much in the week it was taking to build their new ship, but he found comfort in being able to cook this simple dessert and spend some quiet time with the other man. ‘I hope the galley on the new ship is nice,’ Sanji commented with a shrug. ‘I should go down and talk to Franky. I want a nice spice rack, a place where I can look at them and pick one out without having to dig through the cabinet.’ _

_ “Mm,’ Nodding, Zoro lied back down, popping one of his stolen apple slices into his mouth and once more resting his head on Sanji’s thigh. ‘Wanna go down once you are done cutting those up? Didn’t you say you needed more cinnamon for this anyway?’ _

_ ‘So you weren’t asleep.’ Sanji felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth. ‘I would like that.’ _

_ ‘Can’t really sleep,’ Zoro grunted out, biting a piece of apple in half. Sanji paused in his peeling to watch the way the swordsman’s jaw ground down on the soft flesh of the fruit. ‘Ironic, really. It’s become hard for me to sleep on dry land.’ _

_ ‘I can understand that.’ Sanji dropped the peel into his scraps bowl and began cutting the apple he held into slices. ‘I think I need some nutmeg too.’ _

* * *

Sanji slammed his hands onto the small desk in his room and turned for the door. He’d been pacing since his brothers left, wracking his brain for all the possible places the crew could be at this point. No doubt they had all met back up on Zou, but what exactly they decided to do after that he wasn’t sure of.

His hands were shaking as he reached for the knob. Shit, he was such a wreck. His brother’s words still ran through his head and even cigarettes weren’t calming his nerves. Surely Zoro truly wasn’t that stupid to fall for such a blatant trap. Yet, then again, like Luffy, at the first sign of one of the crew being in danger, all rational thought went out the window.

They were going to find him, Sanji realized and he felt dread built in his gut. They were going to bring him back here, a fucked up sort of wedding present to their father and kill him. Zoro would be defiant till the end, but Sanji knew he, himself, would break, and die right there along with his husband.

_ Shit! _ Sanji threw the door open, stomping into the hall and glancing down the long empty corridor. If memory served him, the kitchens were to his right, down the hall, down the stairs and in the basement. He needed a distraction. All thinking about the inevitable was going to do was conjure up more harsh ways for his brothers to torture the swordsman and his nerves couldn’t take that right now.

Zoro was an adult. Zoro was able to take care of himself and… And Zoro would show his brothers what for and then come back here to rescue him. Yeah, he liked that plan better. That’s how it was going to happen; Zoro, his stupid knight in a green haramaki, barging into the Vinsmoke compound to rescue his shitty cook.

Lying to himself suddenly was a lot harder than Sanji ever thought it could be. He couldn’t swallow the lump in his throat and could feel the tears prick at the corner of his eyes, wiping them away as he ran down the hall.

He trotted down the stairs, mind racing and shoes clacking loudly on the wood. Rounding the landing, he could see the marble flooring on the main floor, his brain automatically ticking off that he needed to turn left here and adjusting his body so he could make the corner smoothly without having to slow his pace.

This place was a lot different than he remembered it being. Smaller, the hallways not as long or tall. Panting, his anxiety at being here and this entire situation getting the better of him, Sanji rounded the corner, slamming face first into someone. He actually fell back, ass then shoulders hitting the floor, head bouncing off the marble as he stared at the ceiling, white spots dancing before his eyes, ears ringing and trying to catch his breath.

Sanji swallowed, throat dry as a head of blond hair swam into his vision and scowled down at him. Sanji could remember the day Yonji was born, how he’d been relieved that he wasn’t the youngest any longer and that maybe, just  _ maybe, _ the older three would turn their wicked ways to him.

That thought now made him sick, he hadn’t been any better than any of them; wishing harm upon another for no other reason than because he could. With a groan, Sanji rolled to his side, bringing a hand to his head and shakily got to his feet. “Where are you going?” Yonji asked and his voice reminded Sanji the most of their father.

“Kitchen,” he grunted, moving to step around his younger brother and continue on his way. Apple crisp, with too much nutmeg because Zoro misheard him and thought he said tablespoon, not teaspoon. Yeah, that’s what he would make.

“Why?” Yonji asked, disgust clear in his tone. “Only the servants go down there.”

“Helps me think.” Sanji didn’t know why he was answering, maybe he hit his head harder than he thought. All he knew was that he needed to get to the kitchen, needed to breathe in the aromas and get his hands doing something that he was used to. He needed to calm down and the mindless tasks he could find in a kitchen were never ending.

That’s what he needed right now: to be mindless. Mindless meant not thinking about what his older brothers were going to do to Zoro when they found him. Mindless meant not thinking about what his sister would do to Zoro when they brought him back here. Mindless meant not thinking about all the ways they could possibly kill him in front of Sanji. Mindless meant… 

“That’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard!” Sanji raised his head to look at his little brother, not realizing he had stopped in the hall as he’d lost himself in his own mind.

“Don’t care,” he grunted out, pushing passed the other man and stumbling slightly, the soles of his shoes slick against the polished marble, as he tried to run for the kitchen. He wondered if the same chefs were there from when he was little. Wondered if they would remember the little brat of a boy who used to try and steal the sleek butcher’s knife that Sanji could see his own reflection in.

“Hey! Wait!” Yonji yelled behind him, but Sanji didn’t pause, slamming his shoulder into the open doorframe of the large kitchen when he came to it.

Everyone inside paused as Sanji stood there, one arm braced against his leg, panting. Looking up, he scanned the room, not seeing anyone he recognized and his heart sank a little at that. He’d always liked the old chef, even if she had been harsh with him. “Master Vinsmoke,” one of them started and Sanji just snarled at the name.

He had just crossed the threshold when Yonji appeared at the door. “What are you doing? You don’t belong in here.” A shudder ran through Sanji. His father used to say the exact same thing when he caught him in here.

Sanji simply flipped his brother off and ignored him. Memory after memory came back to him as he slid a hand along a polished silver prep table. No one dared speak or move as they watched him. Sanji met the eyes of a younger man, probably around his own age, eyes large in fear as he walked through the kitchen. Behind the young dark haired man were the knives and Sanji spotted the handle of the one he always tried to steal.

He pivoted on his feet with purpose, walking toward him, eyes lidded as he focused in on his destination. The fear in the young man’s eyes was apparent, body shaking just as much as Sanji had been moments before. Already a calm was stealing over him. This was where he belonged, in the kitchens, working with the food.

He was different.

He wasn’t one of them.

He wasn’t a Vinsmoke.

“M-Master Vinsmoke,” the young man stuttered out as Sanji reached around him to pull the blade free. It didn’t feel as heavy now as it had when he was little, but he supposed time did that to a lot of things when you hadn’t grown up with them.

“Sanji,” he breathed out, eyes flicking to the polished metal in his hand as he pulled the blade back from the block it rested in. He gave the poor man a fleeting smile. “My name is Sanji.”

“Sanji!” Yonji yelled as if to solidify the truth in it and his younger brother grabbed his arm and spun him to face him. The young man wisely dashed away as Sanji growled and pulled his arm from his brother.

“Don’t.” Flipping the knife in his hand, it felt awkward in his grip. He used to have to hold it with both hands and it was heavy and solid. Now he could handle it with precision and ease. “Don’t give me any more reason to hurt you.”

Surprisingly, Yonji let him go. “I don’t really remember you,” he started, voice harsh and firm. “I know you are my brother—” he paused when Sanji growled at him. Around them the kitchen staff was wisely fleeing. The muscles in Sanji’s legs jumped with tension. His body was kicking into his fight or flight mode once more, only with Yonji, it seemed to lean more toward the fight side of things.

“But,” he kept on. “I only really have stories the others have told me about you. I don’t see that though.”

“What are you saying?” Sanji felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He didn’t like this one bit. His heart was racing in his chest, head still pounding and the grip on the knife handle was faltering just slightly from the sweat of his palm.

“They told me how you were weak. How you wouldn’t play their games and you were the easiest one to target. Sensitive, is one word Reiju used;  _ pliable _ was another. Niji tells me about how he used to torture you with harmless pranks and Ichji’s favorite story is the time he made you watch as he butchered the stray animal that got lost on the grounds.”

The memories flared up and Sanji hardened his expression as he glared at his little brother. He couldn’t let those fill his mind and make this worse. His younger years had been a nightmare. A nightmare he had tried desperately to get away from and he had eventually found solace in a shitty old man with a peg leg.

“That’s not what I see though. I see a brother I never knew that stood up to Father and didn’t back down. You’re ruthless and cunning, your mind set on doing your own thing, reaching your own goals. And it’s weird, ya know, because even though you ran away, even though you claim to not be a part of this family; I can clearly see the resemblance in you. You may have run away, Sanji, but you  _ are _ my older brother and your own actions proved that to me.”

Rage blinded him and Sanji shifted on his feet. “I’m going to fucking kill you!” Sanji stepped forward, flipping the knife in his hand and swung out to attack his little brother. Realization of Yonji’s words hit him right before he met his brother’s neck and he dropped the blade as he stumbled back, legs shaking once more. His hands gripped the table as he leaned back on it, needing it to keep himself from crumpling to the floor in a heap.

The smirk on Yonji’s face said it all. Sanji had done exactly what Yonji had wanted. In his desperation to prove he was different than his siblings, he’d acted just as they wanted him too. He’d lashed out without thought of anyone else other than what it meant for him; how it could advance his own goals.

His eyes fell to the knife on the floor, its silver blade glinting in the lights overhead. He’d come in here when little with the intent to try and get back at his siblings. Maybe, if he could arm himself he could bite back, show them he wasn’t as small and pathetic and weak as they liked to claim him to be. “Get the fuck away from me, you sick fuck.” He hissed out at Yonji, closing his eyes as he tried to calm his racing heart.

“Aren’t you a chef now?” Yonji’s tone was smug, as if Sanji’s chosen profession was under his own worth. “Make me something. Since clearly you insist on being different than us, prove it to me.”

“No.” Sanji’s voice was firm, final as he threw one his best glares at his younger brother. “I am not making a damned thing for you.”


	4. Royalty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to make a note that I actually finished writing the entirely of this story before the release of chapter 832. I toyed with the idea of readjusting things according to the new information of the manga, but decided against it. I simply wanted to make a note of it as we learn more and more about Sanji's family that when I wrote this fic I was dealing with less information than we now have.
> 
> But as I have said before, this is more of a parallel thing, even if some of it does coincide with canon story line.

_‘Why do you do that?’_

_‘What are you talking about?’ Sanji turned to face Zoro from where he stood in the doorway of the galley. Tucking the silver platter under his arm, he regarded the other man calmly. ‘Bring the ladies a snack? I do that everyday, which rock have you been hiding under?’_

_‘Not in the mood for your bullshit Sanji.’_

_Pulling out the actual name right off the bat, was he? Zoro must have been more upset about whatever was bothering him than he was letting on. He seemed calm enough, but then again, the light of the open door was doing a good job of shadowing his features. ‘If you want to talk, come in here and close the door.’_

_The swordsman simply grunted, but did as asked, walking over to the far side of the table and sliding along the bench to where he normally sat. Sanji stood at the counter to start traying up the snacks for the guys on deck, catching the swordsman’s movements out of the corner of his eye. Wordlessly, he handed Zoro his snack where he sat, slightly annoyed when the other man simply pushed it aside. ‘Answer me.’_

_‘Zoro,’ Sanji started, not bothering to look up at him. ‘I honestly have no idea what you are talking about.’_

_‘Going fucking stupid over the girls like that.’_

_‘I do not—’ he cut himself off and took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to turn this into a fight. Zoro was clearly upset and Sanji wanted to handle this in a manner that didn’t involve them coming to blows. For once. It was something they had begun working on ever since they started… whatever it was there were doing. Kissing and groping and laughing like little kids in the bowels of the Merry where they didn’t think they’d get caught._

_‘The ladies deserve to be treated like the royalty they are. They are princesses and they deserve to be waited on hand and foot. So I plan on doing so.’_

_‘They don’t like it.’ Zoro stated firmly. ‘They’ve said so, after you’ve gone off.’_

_‘They always seemed very pleased when I bring them something.’ This was weird, him and Zoro able to have a conversation about something that clearly seemed to upset the swordsman so._

_‘I don’t like it.’_

_Oh._

_Looking up, Sanji just blinked at the other man as Zoro scowled back at him. ‘It’s dumb,’ he went on. ‘I understand why you do it, really. It’s your own corrupt way of showing that you care about them, but shit,’ Zoro paused and sucked in a breath, rubbing at the back of his neck and actually mumbling under his breath. ‘Just try to tone it down a little, would you.’_

_Sanji raised an eyebrow at him and propped his chin in his hand. ‘Are you jealous Marimo?’_

_‘I’m not jealous!’ he barked, and no, he probably wasn’t, but it was still fun to pick on him about it. ‘It’s annoying and I swear if you ever do that to me, I will punch you in the fucking face!’_

_Snacks forgotten, Sanji walked around the table and seated himself next to Zoro, resting his arm on the tabletop. ‘I’ll try, okay? It’s something that was ingrained into me when little; I’ve— I’ve never been able to get over it.’_

* * *

 “Little Sanji; do come here.”

Sanji froze in the hallway. Shoulders slumped forward, hands stuffed in his pockets, he simply wanted to get back to his room. The one place in this miserable hellhole that he could bare to be in. He sucked in a breath, feet stopping without his consent in the hallway. Staring off unseeing at a spot on the floor, Sanji held his breath, feeling it burn in his lungs, hoping he’d imagined it.

A feeling of dread washed over him when his sister called his name again.

It had stated with her.

She was the reason he doted on women the way he did. And yes, it was as fucked up as it sounded. The idea that women were princesses,  _ royalty _ , and needed to be treated as such instilled in him before he could most likely walk. It probably hadn’t been all that bad at first. Don’t hit your sister, play nice; the simple rules. Sanji couldn’t remember that though, all he could remember was his father telling him and his brothers that Reiju was to be respected and treated with the utmost courtesy. She was a princess, same as they were princes, and they had better look out for her. Or they would answer to him.

Naturally, she had taken advantage of it.

Ichiji and Niji had been older and didn’t play her game for long, finding other things to do and leaving Sanji at her beck and call. It must have been little things at first, really, Sanji hadn’t been very old, but as time when on, he can remember doing practically everything for her. All she had to do was speak his name and he went running to see what she needed. It had been safer that way, one less traumatizing experience for him to have to work through.

Even now, after all this time, it was extremely hard not to call out and run to her. Still, he found himself standing in her doorway, one hand gripping tightly to his lighter in his pocket as he bit at his lip and waited for her command. Shit it was stupid, but he couldn’t force himself to turn and flee to his room. His heart was racing, beating madly in his chest and his entire body was tense with the urge to flee. Still, he stood there; waiting.

“There you are Little Sanji!” Reiju crooned, her voice like liquid sugar tainted with poison. “Come in; sit.” She patted the small couch next to where she was sitting and before Sanji even realized what he was doing, he was halfway across her room, standing in front of the coffee table her feet were propped on.

Sanji cursed himself when he saw that sly smile curl her painted lips. It was instant reaction, he couldn’t help it. Some part of him, deep down; some part Sanji had no control over would always do as a woman asked of him. “I said ‘sit.’” And Sanji dropped into the chair that was across from Reiju without thinking twice about it.

Fuck he hated his sister.

“W-What can I do for you Reiju?” Sanji cleared his throat in an attempt to stop his stuttering. Back rigid, he was sitting up straight, hands fisting at his slacks as he tried to look her in the eye, focusing instead on the bridge of her nose.

“I just wanted to talk. I haven’t seen you in so long, Little Sanji; I simply want to know how my baby brother is, that’s all.” She sounded sincere, but he knew better than to trust her. She was just as bad as the rest of them, if not worse.

He made the mistake of looking beyond her to the wall, where she kept her collection of pinned moths under glass hanging on little nails embedded in the paneling. He gulped loudly, eyes darting back to look at his feet and inhaled a shaky breath. They weren’t alive, he reminded himself. There were the ones that she’d killed because she’d wanted to keep them forever. They weren’t a threat, wouldn’t end up in his hair, on his face, covering his body; fluttering with their silken wings and making his skin crawl.

Sanji wasn’t sure how he managed to repress the full body shudder that wanted to rock through him.

Reiju was also the reason he had an innate fear of bugs. He’d never told anyone the reason why and it had been easier to simply let the crew believe it was because he’d grown up on the Baratie. That wasn’t a complete lie, it  _ was _ why he hated spiders, but moths… those were  _ her  _ doing.

“You seem shaken, Little Sanji,” she uncrossed and recrossed her legs on the coffee table, sliding a hand down her own leg to rest above her knee. “Is everything all right? Aren’t you glad to finally be home;  _ where you belong? _ ”

“No,” he managed to get out, still not looking up and seeing the shiny coat of pink on her nails. “I don’t want to be here.” Sanji tried to keep his voice even, tried not to let the rising fear of being back in her room after all these years shine through. He only hoped it was working.

“Oh, why’s that? Didn’t you miss us? We missed you, quite terribly.” Sanji could hear the smirk in her voice and it was just like his childhood all over again. His whole body tensed in his seat, simply waiting to see what kind of horrendous thing she would have him do. Or put him through.

“I don’t believe that,” Sanji whispered, voice small, like when he was little. He raised a hand to push at his bangs to realize he was visibly shaking. His wedding ring caught the light overhead and he quickly dropped his hand back to his lap. “I was never more than a toy to you.”

Reiju gave a fake gasp, her other hand flying up to rest at the base of her throat. “That hurts! You are my brother, I would never purposely harm you.”

“I’m sure you meant well.”  _ Fuck! _ That had not been what he meant to say. Sanji was damned sure she had never meant well. She used to seek him out, wake him in the early hours of the day by grabbing him by the hair and literally dragging him from his bed, just so he could run to the kitchens and fetch her breakfast. And Sanji would fucking  _ do it. _ Why; because Reiju was a princess, royalty, and needed to be treated as such.

“There, see, apology accepted.”

“But I—” he cut off as he snapped his head up. She was still smirking at him, that cold hard look that she used to pin him with when little. The look that told him that if he said no, if he refused to do what she asked, there would be torture and pain and more moths. Sanji bit into his lower lip so hard he was sure it was going to bleed.

“Tell me about Roronoa Zoro,” she said suddenly, her voice too excited about letting his name roll off her tongue. It was like a dagger to the chest. Every time his name came from one of their mouths, Sanji had to fight the urge to throw up. It brought a bitter, vile taste to his own mouth and he hadn’t even been the one to speak.

“Of cou—” he cut himself off, glaring back at her. Defying her. Dammit, he needed to at some point, even if he was sure he was going to regret it. They wouldn’t dare touch him though, would they? He was the sacrificial Vinsmoke, as the case were; certainly his siblings wouldn’t leave bruises, right?

But, Reiju’s tactics had always been mental and emotional over physical.

Well shit.

“Hm? What was that?” Her tone was almost bored as she picked up a hand to examine her nails, taking the time to smooth out the blanket that hung over the back of the couch with it’s circled patterns to look like moth wings. She had used that when little too, low light in the late evenings, swooping out of nowhere to tackle him to the ground while he tried to gain a few minutes of peace on his own. He could hear his own screams in his head, her wild laughter and somewhere, in the background, his brothers were laughing as well.

“No,” Sanji spoke lowly, not sure if his voice would hold if he spoke any louder. “I am not talking about him.”

“You can’t protect him forever. Ichiji and Niji have already gone off. Probably have found him by now. Might as well talk about him. Besides, I need to know if this man is worthy of you Little Sanji. I can’t really have you married to a random ruffian, even if he is quite handsome. It’s unbefitting of a Vinsmoke.”

Sanji ground his teeth together, fighting back the urge to rise to his feet and attack. He’d never be able to harm her, he knew that, despite the fact he  _ actually  _ wanted to. Even after all this time, her hold on him still stood and fuck he hated it. “I’m not a Vinsmoke,” he managed to growl out.

“That’s true,” she agreed, smirk wide and attitude uncaring. “For now.”


	5. Fire

_Zoro groaned above him. Sanji could feel the heat between them, slick with sweat against his back as the blond arched against his lover’s chest, pushing back against him with every thrust forward the swordsman gave._

_‘I missed you,’ Zoro’s words were breathless and it made Sanji’s own breath catch in his throat. He could feel the swordsman throbbing deep inside him as he ground his hips tight against Sanji’s ass. ‘Two years and all I had was that stupid fucking ring to keep me company.’_

_‘I’m here now,’ Sanji managed to get out, fingers curling into fists as he braced his arms against Zoro’s thrusts._

_‘I know,’ Zoro whispered against his ear, hot and panted out. One arm snaked around Sanji’s waist, pulling him tighter against the swordsman and all the blond could do was let out a low moan at how good it felt to finally be able to have him that close again. ‘Ever since I saw you, I’ve been craving this moment.’_

_‘Yeah?’ It was all Sanji could get out between panted breaths, chest heaving as he gulped in air and let his body succumb to the whims of his husband. Zoro leaned heavily upon him, bodies flush all along Sanji’s spine as Zoro snapped his hips forward again. Sanji cried out, pushing back against him as the swordsman thrust sharply against his prostate. ‘Shit, Zoro, just like that!’_

_Zoro hummed approvingly above him. ‘Fuck, Sanji. You’re so fucking tight, pulling me in, keeping me there; your heat all around me, setting my blood on fire.’_

_Twisting his head, Sanji met Zoro in a sloppy kiss, sweat dripping down their faces as they panted against each other's mouths. How he’d missed Zoro too. From the moment he knew the other man was on the island, had made it back, his blood had been rushing through his veins. Sanji had been glad to see everyone and the rush of the fight had been welcoming as well, but this; this was what had been missing._

_The simplest of touches had sparked something in him and he’d been yearning for a private moment with Zoro ever since. Want flared through him where ever the two touched, overwhelming with passion and lust that had built over the two years they were apart._

_Zoro groaned again, the sound vibrating deep in his chest and against Sanji’s shoulder blades as the swordsman bit at his ear. Rough fingers slid down his chest to wrap around Sanji’s length, smearing through the precum leaking heavily from the tip. ‘I missed you so much, Sanji; I love you.’_

_The swordsman’s words did things to Sanji; indescribable things. He could feel his chest swell in love and affection for the other man, knowing just how far they had come and that he felt the same way. That spark ignited as fire rushed through him, orgasm twisting and boiling over as he came hard into Zoro’s hand, the man’s name on his tongue._

* * *

 Yonji opened his door without even knocking and Sanji didn’t even bother to look at him from where he was laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. “Get up,” he snapped. “Father wants to see you.” When Sanji ignored him, his only actions to pull his cigarette from his mouth to tap ash into the tray on his chest, his younger brother continued on. “Ichiji and Niji are back.”

That got Sanji’s attention and he slowly sat up, moving the tray to the bedside table and throwing a glare at him before he stubbed his butt in the dish. Yonji smirked and turned on his heel, leaving the door open and Sanji fighting down the urge to throw up.

It only lasted a moment and next thing he knew he was kneeling over the trashcan in his room, reliving breakfast as it burned up his throat. It left a foul and bitter taste in his mouth as he ran his tongue over his teeth and spit into the bin. The return of his brothers could only mean one thing and Sanji wasn’t sure he had the stomach to see Zoro.

How desperately he wanted to see his husband though.

It wouldn’t be the blood, Sanji knew that. He’d lost count of the number of times he’d seen the other man covered in either his own blood or the blood of his enemies, it was the fact that the reason the blood was there was because of him. This was entirely Sanji’s fault and now his brothers had brought Zoro here as well.

Going into the bathroom, Sanji tried to wash his mouth out, gulping the cold water down and feeling it soothe his burning throat and temper the bile in his gut. Shutting off the water, he gripped the edges of the sink and glared at his own reflection in the mirror. He had to do this. He needed to see Zoro so that the swordsman would at least know he was alive and okay.

Shaken, but okay.

Probably more than he could say for the marimo though.

Running damp fingers through his bangs, Sanji stood and left the bathroom, gathering his smokes and lighter before leaving the room with a slam of the door. It was quiet in the hall, the only sounds that of his dress shoes clacking against the floor with each step. He wanted to run, to get to his father’s office as fast as he could, but he tried to hold back.

Showing weakness to these people never proved to be helpful for Sanji and he didn’t want to break now. Still, it was hard as he walked, thumbing at his wedding band and chewing at his lip. Sweat beaded at his brow and his palms grew sweaty as well. He’d been living in a constant state of low panic the entire time he’d been here, but this seemed worse.

So much worse.

Stepping onto the first floor made him stop in his tracks. Already there were two of the maids, one with a mop and one on hands and knees, scrubbing blood off the floor. Sanji’s eyes widened as he followed the trail from where it came through the front door and led right down the marble hall to his father’s office.

It was Zoro’s blood, he knew it, and from the looks of the trail, he hadn’t walked in either. He ignored the maids when they called out to him, asking him to not get himself dirty, but Sanji couldn't help himself as he knelt over one of the bloody trails, pressing his hand to the cold flooring.

The blood was still wet and Sanji rubbed his fingers together as he looked down the long hall toward those closed wooden doors. His life was behind those doors. Snapping his hand into a fist, feeling the blood squish against his palm, he stood, finding new resolve to face his family and marched down the hall.

He kicked the doors open, the loud bang as they hit the walls echoing in the room as he crossed the threshold. His entire family was in there; his father behind his desk, Reiju and Yonji standing off to the side and in the middle of the room stood Ichiji and Niji. Between them, on his knees, bleeding all over the carpet, was Zoro, back straight and head held high.

Everyone in the room turned to face him as he lowered his leg and shifted his weight to both feet. If his family was shocked, they hid it well and the blond let his eyes flick to Zoro, who had his head tipped back to look at him with a smirk on his face. He was bleeding from a cut over his good eye, face washed in fresh and dried blood, as well as a split in his lip. His clothes were ripped and torn, but he seemed okay.

Sanji wasn’t entirely sure what had come over him. It was most likely the sight of his husband’s blood smeared across the marble that had started it, but all the traces of fear were gone now as he raised a cigarette to his lips and flicked his lighter. Pulling in that first drag, he plucked the butt from his mouth, holding it between his fingers as he pointed at his father. “Let him go.”

He almost waviered when his father, followed by his siblings, all burst out laughing at him. Anger flushed through Sanji and he could feel it pool in his gut. He wasn’t a kid anymore, wasn’t someone to pass over and ignore. Underneath it all, he heard a ‘heh,’ the low barely there snort of a laugh that Zoro gave before they stepped into a fight and shit hit the fan.

“This isn’t up for negotiation.” Sanji kept on, voice hard as he spoke. He placed his cigarette back between his teeth as he watched his father simply tilt his head at him in annoyance. Fire seared through him, fueling his anger as Ichiji stepped aside, sweeping an arm out toward Zoro like he was offering the swordsman up for the taking.

“Come take him, Little Sanji, if you think you can.” Niji sneered as he stepped away as well, leaving Zoro in front of his father’s desk alone. A mix of fear, hate and longing pounded in Sanji’s chest as he watched the swordsman spit blood to the carpet, throwing a glare at each of his older brothers as they backed away. His hands flexed at his back, the shackles clearly too tight, and anger overrode everything else.

With a snarl, Sanji lunged for Ichiji, who was closer, spinning in a roundhouse and feeling the burst of flames around his shin as he moved. He was going to kick his brother’s ass and then Niji was next. No more of this. “Little Sanji” was gone and now Blackleg was going to show them why you didn’t mess with the Strawhats. Why you didn’t mess with the Roronoas.

Ichiji raised his arm in a block, eyes flicking over Sanji’s body before he snapped a hand out, grabbing Sanji by the knee and slamming him into the carpet. The breath was knocked from his chest and as he lay there trying to inhale, both his brothers’ weight came crashing down on him. Niji was laughing in his face, while Ichiji’s fingers dug into his upper arm and his voice swam into his ears. “You’re pathetic Little Sanji, just like you always have been.”

He inhaled sharply as best he could with his chest pinned and his head held down to the carpet by Niji’s fist in his hair. His other hand had a hold of his shin, keeping Sanji’s leg pinned down as he continued to laugh. “Get off!” He jerked under them, but neither of them made a move to let him up.

“Sanji; stop.” Zoro’s voice was broken as he spoke, coughing as he wheezed in a breath. Sanji tried to tip his head to see the other man, barely catching the frown that curved his mouth downward as his gray eye watched him. “Don’t.”

That made him pause in his struggling. Why didn’t Zoro want him to fight back. They could get out of here, the two of them, together. They could get back to Luffy and be done with this shit. “I’m not worth seeing you hurt.” Sanji felt the fire die inside him as his mouth went dry. He couldn’t speak, trying to keep the sudden tears at bay as he nodded stiffly and let his brothers drag him to his knees.

Sanji’s head was still bowed as he heard the desk chair creak and his father’s voice was low as it spoke. “Get them both out of my office. I will send word that the wedding will go on as originally planned.”


	6. Blue

_ ‘The black really brings out the gray in your eyes Zoro,’ Sanji started lowly, letting his eyes trail over the other man's frame as he stood in the girls room, watching what he was doing in their full length mirror. _

_ The swordsman clicked his tongue in annoyance and dropped his arms to his sides. ‘Fuck it, no tie!’ _

_ ‘Let me.’ Pushing off the door, Sanji stepped into the room, but instead of trying to take in everything about the girls room, his eyes were only on Zoro. This day had long been coming and the entire crew was buzzing with excitement. _

_ Today they were getting married. _

_ ‘I never understood why you wanted to wear these!’ Zoro huffed but turned, letting Sanji fuss over him as he watched quietly. It didn't take more than a moment, years of practice allowing Sanji to have a perfect knot tied in a matter of seconds. Zoro caught his hands as he went to pull away. ‘Know what I first noticed, all the way back on the Baratie,’ he spoke quietly, tone low, meant for just the two of them. _

_ ‘Hmm,’ Sanji started, twisting his hands in Zoro's and squeezing his fingers. In his breast pocket was a simple white rose, same as Sanji, a stark contrast to the black suits they wore. ‘What's that?’ _

_ Zoro raised their links hands, nudging Sanji's chin up to meet the other man's eyes. There was such trust and affection there, thinly masked behind his indifference, if you knew how to look for it. ‘Your eyes. They are so blue and that black suit made them shine, even if you were glaring at me.’ _

_ ‘If I recall,’ Sanji couldn't help the smile, pressing a kiss to Zoro's cheek. ‘It was you glaring at me.’ _

_ ‘You called me an idiot!’ _

_ ‘Was I wrong?’ _

_ ‘Why do I want to marry you again?’ With a dramatic sigh, Zoro pushed Sanji's bangs aside exposing both his eyes before he nodded to himself and pecked him on the mouth. ‘Yeah, that's why.' _

* * *

Sanji tugged at his collar. The white suit was stiff, even if it fit him well. It wasn't one of his own, however, and so it felt awkward against his skin.

They'd eventually forced him into the damned thing, but not without him cracking a few skulls in the process. He'd gotten one of the staff to tell him where Zoro was, the boy from the kitchen that day he'd gotten the knife, and was now standing outside the door to where he was being kept.

No doubt they hadn't been feeding him or cleaned him up or anything. Most likely his brothers had just tossed him into a room and left him there. The boy had said he'd delivered food to him once but he wasn't sure how he was going to eat with his hands still bound behind him.

Fuck, he hated his family.

Reaching for the door, Sanji found he was holding his breath, expecting it to be locked and him unable to see his husband once more. They'd forcibly taken his wedding band, but Sanji had made damned sure a couple of them would need a nice long stay in the hospital for that as well.

The knob turned with a soft click and he pushed it open, slipping into the room and hoping they were alone. Light was streaming in from the window, curtains pulled open and spilling across the swordsman in the middle of the room.

Zoro was on his side, most likely having been thrown there and left that way. He was laying on his right shoulder with his back to Sanji. Zoro hadn't even moved when he came in. The door closed softly, but Sanji didn't hear it as he moved to the other man, falling to his knees next to Zoro’s person, hauling him upright and running his fingers through blood crusted green hair. “What did they do to you,” he whispered, voice already cracking.

Sanji could feel the walls he'd put in place crumbling. Zoro was here now, he didn't have to fight back his emotions any longer. Tears finally slipped down his cheeks as the swordsman opened his eye and regarded the blond calmly. The gray seemed foggy and it looked like Zoro had lost more blood if the dark mark where his head had been was anything to go by.

Being this close to him now and getting a really good look at him, Sanji’s chest tightened in pain as he rubbed the back of his fist into his eye. Bruises had formed across Zoro’s tanned skin, cuts that had closed over with dried blood looked rough and needed tending too. One of his earrings had been ripped out, leaving a sizable chunk missing from his bloody ear. His wrists, still tightly bound at his lower back, were sluggishly bleeding over the cuffs.

With a groan, he managed to settle into a cross-legged position, giving Sanji a fleeting smile. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped, licking at the nasty gash on his swollen lip and swallowing. “I'm fine,” he choked out, voice hoarse and raw.

“You're not fine. Zoro, you're still bleeding for fucks sake!” Sanji twisted around, getting to his feet and moving into the small bathroom. He snatched a washcloth off the shelf, wetting it with cool water before returning to the other man.

Sanji sniffled again, wiping his face on his shoulder as he dabbed the corner of the cloth at the cut on Zoro’s lip. “I can’t get those cuffs off you without really hurting you,” he mumbled, trying to focus on that one spot so he could calm down. It was hard to do so with his vision blurring and tears running down his cheeks.

“You look really good in that suit, even if it isn’t yours.” Zoro slurred, pulling away from Sanji and licking at the spot with his tongue. “Don’t get dirty. You’ll get covered in my blood if you keep that up.”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Sanji whispered, raising a hand to the swordsman’s face, rubbing his thumb gently over his cheek bone and peeling away flecks of dried blood. “Like I care about that.”

“The white brings out your eyes.” Zoro kept his voice low, as if every word hurt to say, and met Sanji’s eyes. “I always loved the blue of your eyes.” It probably did hurt to speak, even though he kept on and tried to clear his throat again, inhaling deeply as he closed his eye. Tipping his head into Sanji’s touch, he pulled away suddenly, frowning at him. “Where’s your ring?”

Sanji pulled his hand back, looking at the lighter spot on his finger before dropping it back to his lap. “They took it. My father sent in a mixed group of the house staff when I refused to get ready for this fucking wedding on my own. While I did fight off the guys, one of the women managed to get my ring in the confusion. I’m sorry, I didn’t even realize it was gone until afterward. Then I broke more jaws.”

Zoro shook his head slightly with a low chuckle. “Ah, you’ll never change, Love Cook.”

“No, probably not.” Sanji found he was laughing as well before it easily turned into a choked sob. “Zoro!” he cried, jumping forward to wrap his arms around the other man and bury his nose into his neck. The swordsman grunted in pain, but let his head rest against Sanji’s. “I was so worried about you! This has been hell. I just want to go home.”

“I know,” his voice was calm and even near his ear. Sanji heard his cuffs rattle as Zoro shifted his shoulders before sighing in defeat. “Sanji, look at me.”

“This is all my fault,” he pulled back, wiping at his eyes again. Zoro’s gaze dragged over him before he frowned slightly. “What?” he asked, not caring what he sounded like right now. If he couldn’t be at his worst with Zoro, than who?

“You’ve gotten my blood on your suit.”

“Would you stop worrying about the stupid suit!” Sanji snapped, grinding his teeth. “I don’t care about the fucking suit, I care about you!” Dropping his head forward, he let his bangs fall to cover his face as a fresh wave of tears welled in his eyes. “Dammit, Zoro…” he trailed off, breath hitching in his throat as he tried to hold back another sob.

“Sanji,” Zoro’s voice was firm as he spoke his name. “Sanji, listen to me. I need you to listen to me, okay?” Nodding, he sniffled, but didn’t look up at him. Sanji bit his lip, trying to hold back the tears that still threatened to leave him. “We both know what’s going to happen.” Zoro went on after giving Sanji the moment he needed to attempt to compose himself.

It was short lived. “Don’t say things like that!” He snapped his head up for Zoro to level him with a glare. “We’re gonna get outta here. You’re here now, between the two—”

“Without my swords and I’m pretty sure my wrist is fucking broken. Dammit Cook,” he snapped. “Listen to me for once in your miserable life!” Inhaling, the swordsman closed his eye and exhaled calmly. “Look,” he started again, voice lower, husky and instantly Sanji picked up on the tone.

“Zoro, no,” Sanji gasped out. The look on Zoro’s face gave him away, that content look that openly showed how much he loved the blond as he spoke only to him. A shudder ran through Sanji against his will as he thought about all the times he’d heard Zoro use that tone. “I can’t. Don’t say it.”

“I love you,” Zoro breathed out, ignoring Sanji’s plea. “Don’t ever forget that.”

“Tell me when we get out of here you shitty plant.”

“Stop being delusional Sanji!” The swordsman snarled. “We aren’t getting out of this. Not this time, and even if we do; your brothers…” He trailed off, a pained looked screwing up his face.

“My brothers what Zoro?” Sanji grabbed him by the shoulders, easing off as Zoro visibly flinched in pain.

“They outnumbered us, but that didn’t stop us. I was traveling to Wano with Trafalgar when they attacked. I’m the only one they let live.” He gave a dry laugh before shaking his head. His remaining earrings clinked with the action, sounding off with there only being two instead of three.

“E-Even Law?”

“Yes, Sanji,” Zoro leveled him with a flat look. The one that told Sanji Zoro was being serious. Not that he wasn’t always, but there were different levels of it. “Even Law.”

Sanji fell back on his ass as a wave of utter loss washed over him. The reality of the situation that Zoro had already realised washed over him and he simply stared at him for a moment, mouth open in clear shock. There was no way that his two brothers not only captured Zoro but killed Law and his crew. Not by themselves. “You didn’t surrender?” he asked. He wasn’t sure why, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

“Fuck no!” Zoro snorted at him. “I know a trap when I see one, even if it does have to do with you. When that didn’t work, they attacked.”

Sanji nodded dumbly, eyes dropping to his hands in his lap. He could see small specks of red marring the white fabric of his jacket cuffs, but he couldn’t be bothered to care.

“I want you to do something for me.” Zoro’s voice was low once more.

“Anything.” Sanji flicked his eyes up to meet Zoro’s again.

“Well, a few things actually.” Zoro looked away before he inhaled, shoulders working as he tried to move his hands behind him. “Ugh, my whole body is stiff,” he grumbled under his breath.

“What do you want Zoro? Let me.” Sanji shifted to his knees, leaning over Zoro to look at his hands. It was a bad idea and the sight made Sanji’s stomach turn. Both hands were covered in a slick red with his wrists swollen and bruised as well, near black rings with ugly shades of yellow and purple around the cuffs.

“Get my ring off,” he grunted, leaning into Sanji. He could hear the other man inhale deeply, but he ignored him in favor of doing what was asked. “I want you to have it,” Zoro mumbled into Sanji’s neck, placing the lightest of kisses against his skin.

“Zoro…” Sanji trailed off as he worked to get his husband’s ring off carefully. Instantly his own fingers were covered in blood and it was hard to do, but he managed, pulling back and holding the bloody band in his open palm.

“Okay, good. Hide it. We both know that they aren’t gonna bother with me after…” he shook his head and met Sanji’s eyes. There was a resolve in the one eye, the gray of his iris clear and demanding. “Kiss me.”

“Stop talking like you’re—”

“Just fucking do it Sanji! Fuck! Why do you always have to be so fucking difficult!” Zoro bit out, closing his eye. Sanji could see him shaking slightly, but if it was from him trying to hold back or blood loss Sanji couldn’t say. Honestly, it was probably a little bit of both. “Shit, I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight with you right now.” Zoro’s voice was quiet as he spoke. “Sanji, please, just… just kiss me.”

Something snapped in him and the blond lunged forward, smashing his mouth against his husband’s as he carded both hands into his blood stained hair. Zoro grunted in pain, but didn’t pull away and almost instantly Sanji could taste fresh blood on his tongue. “Shit,” the blond muttered against Zoro’s mouth, feeling blood from his wound slick across his lips.

It didn’t stop Zoro however as he pushed forward, shoulders jerking against his cuffs. Sanji opened his mouth when Zoro asked, his tongue sweeping over Sanji’s own and filling his mouth with the taste of copper. “Fuck!” Zoro pulled back, panting slightly and spit blood to the side before resting his forehead against Sanji’s. He inhaled deeply, keeping his voice low. “I wish I could touch you. I just want to run my fingers through your hair one more time.”

Fresh tears sprang to Sanji’s eyes, trailing down his cheeks as he leaned to kiss Zoro once more. Slower and more careful this time, Sanji met the swordsman for a passionate kiss they hadn’t been able to share in several weeks at this point. Sanji wanted so much more, finding his own hands shaking as they held tighter to Zoro’s hair. “There,” Zoro started, when they broke apart, pulling back enough to press a simple kiss at Sanji’s forehead. There was so much love and affection in the touch that Sanji felt his gut twist in a horrible sense of dread. “You okay?” Zoro asked softly.

“No,” Sanji started; voice breaking, body shaking. It couldn’t end like this. Him, dressed for a wedding he didn’t want to be in, while his lover bled out slowly, forgotten in some room. “I don’t think I will ever be.” Wiping his nose on his sleeve, Sanji barely caught the fact it came away covered in blood. “What was that last thing?”

Zoro’s lip was bleeding heavily, but it didn’t stop the swordsman as he sat up as straight as he could and looked Sanji in the eye. “You have to promise me you’ll do this Sanji. I mean it. Promise me.”

Sanji shook his head, biting at his lip to stop it from quivering. “I’ll try Zoro, I can only promise you that. I’ll try.” He didn’t like where the swordsman was going with this. He was too stern, too closed off and too serious for Sanji’s liking. He didn’t want to hear what Zoro was going to say, didn’t want to have to face the reality of their situation.

This was goodbye.

Zoro hummed in approval anyway, jerking his head in a sharp nod before he licked at his lip again. “Forget me.”

 

 


	7. Smile

_ ‘Smile for me, Cook.’ _

_ ‘Hm?’ _

_ ‘Come on, smile for me. You have all these different smiles. Like just before a fight, you give the smallest smirk just as you start bashing skulls in.’ Zoro’s voice came from behind him, slightly muffled from where he cradled his head against his arm. ‘I want the post sex one. That one that says: fuck yes, that was great.’ _

_ ‘What are you talking about?’ Sanji rolled over to face Zoro, face scrunching up in confusion as he pulled his cigarette from his mouth. ‘That’s probably the weirdest thing you have said to me all night.’ _

_ ‘Just do it.’ Zoro moved closer, laying flush against Sanji and wrapping an arm around his waist. ‘I love it when you smile.’ _

_ Sanji felt heat rush over his cheeks as he quirked a small smile around his cigarette. ‘You’re a moron, you know that.’ Rolling on his shoulder, Sanji stubbed the butt in the dish near the empty booze bottles and small serving tray he’d carried to the crow’s nest earlier that night. _

_ Zoro simply hummed from where he lay, tracing small nonsense patterns into Sanji’s skin. ‘Come on, you can do better than that.’ _

_ ‘Why in the hell do you want me to smile for you? Retarded plant, you make no sense.’ Sanji huffed, rolling back to face Zoro and running his fingers through sweat damp hair. He watched quietly as Zoro closed his eyes and tipped his head into the caress. ‘What’s gotten into you?’ _

_ Shrugging a shoulder, the swordsman pulled Sanji closer. ‘Why can’t you just humor me for once? I do stupid shit for you all the time.’ _

_ ‘Like what?’ Sanji eyed him as Zoro rolled to a half sitting position, his weight held up against his right arm. The swordsman simply gave him a look. One that said, are you seriously asking that right now, and Sanji raised an eyebrow at him. ‘If you are referring to when I make you go with me to the markets when we dock, that doesn’t count. You like to eat, don’t you?’ _

_ ‘Not your shit food, Swirly.’ _

_ ‘You are a horrible liar. You love my cooking.’ _

_ Zoro leaned down, catching Sanji’s mouth in a slow kiss, combing his fingers through blond hair and actually managing to steal his breath away. Pulling away slightly, just enough to speak, the swordsman’s lips brushed against Sanji’s. ‘I love you,’ he murmured quietly, a twitch of a smile crossing his features. _

_ ‘That’s not fair!’ Sanji couldn’t help but laugh, throwing his head back and pulling Zoro down onto his chest. ‘That’s cheating! You know damned well I smile every time you say that!’ _

_ Zoro twisted his head slightly, chuckling to himself as he watched Sanji grin above him. ‘I know, it’s why I do it.’ He moved again, shifting over Sanji as he sat up, straddling his hips and pulling the thin blanket with him. _

_ Sanji gave a contented sigh as he looked up at him, flicking his bangs out of his eyes and smiling up at the swordsman. ‘I love you too, Zoro.’ _

_ ‘Don’t ever stop smiling, Sanji.’ _

* * *

 

“Zoro; no!” Sanji jerked in his spot, eyes wide as he stared at the hardened glare of his lover. Zoro couldn’t be serious. There was no way in hell he was just going to simply  _ forget _ everything they had built together. There was no way he could just  _ forget the man he loved. _

“You have to.” The swordsman grunted at him. Sanji could see, even through his own tears, how much it pained Zoro to say it.

“Why?” The blond felt his own voice crack as fresh tears slid down his cheeks. “You’re asking me to do something impossible.”

“I’m asking you to  _ live, _ Sanji! Fuck,” sucking in a breath through his nose, Zoro closed his eye and shook his head slightly. “Dammit, Cook. You know that they are planning—”

“I won’t let them!” Sanji growled out. There was no way in hell he was going to just idly stand by and watch as they butchered his husband. “I love you Zoro, I can’t just sit by and—”

Zoro cut him off. “That is  _ exactly _ what I am asking you to do, Sanji. If you truly love me, than I shouldn’t have to explain myself to you; you should understand.”

“No,” Sanji started as he looked away, frowning off at nothing in the room. Zoro had sacrificed himself for the crew once before and was doing so again now. If he died so that Sanji himself could go through with this marriage, it would in part stop Big Mom from chasing after Luffy and the others. It was the only way to protect the rest of them.

That didn’t mean he had to like it. Sniffling, Sanji shut his eyes tightly and just sighed as he felt the life drain out of him. He would still be alive, yes, but he would no longer be living and he knew that. Body shaking and nerves shot, he sat there biting at his lip and trying to hold the last strands of his sanity together. Not in a million years did he think he would be here, back in this place, and never in this situation.

“Hey,” Zoro’s voice was breathless, making Sanji look over to him once more. “Smile for me, Cook.”

Sanji couldn’t help but chuckle through his tears, wiping the back of a hand across his face. “Shitty swordsman…” he mumbled, leaning forward to press a kiss to his lips once more. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Sanji.”

“Ah, it’s so sweet Ichiji! Look at them, the cute little love birds; makes me sick.” Sanji snapped his head up at the new voice. He hadn’t ever heard the door open, yet there in the open doorway, dressed in pristine white suits, same as him, were Ichiji and Niji. Behind them were two large guys he’d never seen before. Either hired muscle or from Big Mom’s crew.

“Now, be nice Niji; give Little Sanji his moment before we go and make him an eligible bachelor once more.”

Zoro growled as he snapped his head around and Sanji sprang to his feet. “I won’t let you kill him.” He snarled out, stepping in between Zoro and his brothers. The two other men hesitated by the door, not wanting to get in the middle of a fight between the three brothers.

“I have been  _ waiting _ for a chance to fight you!” Niji laughed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Too bad I can’t fuck you up too much; shame really.”

“It’s time to go, Little Sanji.” Ichiji spoke up, stepping aside, jerking his head in a nod to tell the other two men to go deeper into the room, before scoffing. “Look at you; you’ve gone and gotten dirty. Is that blood on your forehead?”

“I’m not going anywhere with you two.” Reaching up, Sanji touched his forehead, pulling his fingers back stained with blood. It had to have been from when Zoro kissed him previously.

“What did I say, Sanji?” Zoro’s voice was a low growl behind him and Sanji risked the chance to look back over his shoulder to his lover. The swordsman’s eye was on his brothers, not him, as he spit blood to the side before inhaling. “Don’t make this worse than it has to be, Cook.”

“Yeah,  _ Cook _ ,” Niji snorted back a laugh and even Ichiji chuckled. “That’s rich, Little Sanji, truly.”

Sanji eyed the two men creeping closer to him and Zoro. He was still shaking, hands balled into fists to make it less obvious to outsiders that he was panicking and desperate. He couldn’t, he  _ wouldn’t  _ just sit idly by while they took Zoro. He would fight, even if against the wishes of his husband, and even his own better judgement. He wasn’t going to be able to live with himself after today anyway, but he knew he would be able to make it a tad more bearable if he at least tried to fight. If it kept Zoro breathing, that’s all that mattered.

“Fuck you,” he snarled, tapping his toes against the carpet and stepping back into a stance.

“You really do want to fight, don’t you?” Niji was grinning widely now, bouncing on his toes as he looked from Sanji over to Ichiji. His oldest brother had one arm propped in the other, head bowed as he rubbed at his temples. “Ichiji, let me handle this.” Niji begged and Ichiji flung his hand into the air as if to give approval.

“Don’t damage him,” the oldest sighed heavily. “It’s bad enough he’s ruined his suit and we are going to have to clean the blood off his face before we bring him to the hall.”

“Sanji.” Zoro warned from behind him.

“I need this, Zoro,” he breathed out, flicking his eyes from Niji to the burly idiots. “If you want me to do as you ask; I need this.”

The simple grunt behind him was all he needed to hear.

Sanji darted forward, eyes trained on the closer of the two men. Pivoting on his foot, he raised his other leg and struck out, hitting the man square in the chest and sending him flying into the far wall. There was an audible crack that Sanji was sure were ribs and he allowed himself a small victory smirk as he landed from the attack and pinned his glare on the other man.

“Son of a bitch!”

“Sanji!”

Zoro and Niji’s voices blended together and in the second of confusion it took Sanji’s brain to separate the calls, his older brother was on him, tackling him and throwing him against another of the walls. The blond hit hard, shoulders slamming against the paneling and cracking the wood, head slamming back and rattling his teeth. Niji was there, one fist in his suit lapels, the other pulled back to punch him.

Sanji ducked, but just barely, sweeping a leg out and knocking his brother off balance, giving him that second he needed to get free and slip away. He was breathing hard already, which wasn’t a good sign at all. From the door, Ichiji simply frowned and crossed his arms. Part of Sanji wanted him to get involved as well; the other half was glad he wasn’t. In his current state, Sanji wasn’t sure he could take on both of his brothers alone.

The guy Sanji kicked was picking himself up now as Niji’s sadistic laughter rang through the room and he sighed dramatically as he turned to Sanji. “Oh, sneaky, sneaky. Little Sanji’s learned some new tricks, huh?”

“I’ve learned a lot over the years, dickhead,” Sanji spat back, smirk still in place and feeling quite proud of himself. His composure on the outside was fine; great, really, but inside he was falling apart. A fucking mess of disorganized thoughts and barely held together rationality. He couldn’t fail here. Couldn’t lose against his brothers because that meant he would lose Zoro. And losing the swordsman was not an option.

“Oh, he’s resorted to name calling. So mature.” Niji looked over his shoulder to the man standing behind him. “Well, come on you two, we got our brother, get Roronoa out of here. He’s got a date with the wedding party.”

“Don’t touch him!” Sanji snarled out, moving to put himself between the others and Zoro once more. He glanced down at his husband, who was watching him intently, yet fondly and it twisted hard in Sanji’s chest. Fucking Zoro, he was so accepting of what was going to happen, simply trying to take in as much of Sanji as he could before it was too late.

Sanji jerked to a stop, breathing out the swordsman’s name, getting caught up in the fact that he was never going to be able to see Zoro look at him like that again unless he got his shit together and got them out of there. He felt the fleeting smile curve his mouth into a frown as Zoro’s eye went wide and flicked over his shoulder.

Sanji turned to look just in time to get suckerpunched by Ichiji in the jaw, reeling back and falling to his hands and knees next to Zoro. “Sanji!” The swordsman yelled and through the ringing in his ears, he could hear his cuffs rattle.

Vision blurred, he looked up, meeting his lover’s worried and panicked gaze as the two men grabbed him under the arms and hauled him to his feet. Zoro struggled against them, but it did little good in his weakened state. Sanji tried to scramble to his feet to help, to try and do something, but Niji blocked his path, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and grinning darkly at him. “Nighty night, Little Sanji.”

And then it all went black.


	8. Wanted

_‘All day long it’s: Sanji, I want, I want, I want…’ the blond trailed off with a groan, collapsing onto the bench that ran along the crow’s nest._

_Zoro ignored him except for the funny upside down look he gave him as he continued to work out across the room from him. Sanji studied the swordsman for a moment, the way sweat trailed down his chest to drop off his Adam’s apple and the flex of his muscles. ‘It’s Luffy,’ he grunted out a minute later._

_‘I know,’ Sanji gave a bitter chuckle. ‘At least I’m wanted.’_

_Zoro dropped onto his feet at that comment, picked up a towel as he turned and made his way over to sit next to Sanji. He was breathing hard and radiating heat, making the blond slide away from him slightly until he’d cleaned up and cooled down a little. ‘Of course you’re wanted, Swirly. What kind of comment is that?’_

_‘All Luffy wanted me for was so I could cook for him.’_

_‘Yeah, maybe at first.’ Zoro swiped the towel through his hair, scrubbing at it with both hands and making it stick up even more bizarrely than normal. ‘Not now though.’_

_‘What makes you say that?’ With a sigh, Sanji reached for a cigarette, flicking his lighter even as Zoro scowled at him for smoking up there._

_‘Where is this coming from?’ Chucking the towel away, Zoro turned to face Sanji as the blond shrugged and tongued at his smoke. Okay, yeah, he knew where it was coming from; that worthlessness that sprung up at times. The feeling of only being wanted, being needed to serve some impersonal service and nothing more._

_‘Hey,’ Zoro went on, grabbing Sanji by the face and making him look at the swordsman. ‘You are wanted, Sanji, and not just to cook either. You are a valued member of this crew, of this family, don’t forget that. I love you, we all love you.’_

_‘Yeah, I know,’ pulling his cigarette from his mouth, Sanji nodded sharply. ‘Just sometimes, I can’t help but think about…’ he broke off, shaking his head. ‘It’s been on my mind a lot more since I told you my name.’_

_Zoro didn’t answer, for which Sanji was thankful. He wasn’t sure he could handle another conversation about the family he’d left behind right now. Instead, the swordsman moved a hand around to cup the back of his neck, pulling him forward to press a kiss to his forehead. ‘You’re wanted here. Don’t ever forget that, no matter what happens, we will always want you.’_

* * *

 Sanji was still woozy, Ichiji’s grip tight on his arm to both keep him where he stood and from falling over. Blinking, he looked out over the crowd. The hall was large, larger than any room he’d been in probably since running away and the roar of the audience was deafening, making his head pound more than it already did. The platform on which he stood was against the wall, decorated with all sorts of flowers, both real and made of spun sugar. The space between the altar and the first row of seats was possibly ten feet or more, he couldn't really focus long enough to gauge it properly, but it gave him a sense of separation, of being put upon a pedestal for all to scrutinize from afar.

The thought made him want to throw up.

Sanji didn’t recognize anyone, not that he expected too. These were all people from either Big Mom’s crew or the Vinsmoke family. His eyes fell to his father sitting in the front row, a scowl tugging at his features as he crossed his arms over his chest. There had been no time to change Sanji’s suit and the attempts the staff had made at getting the blood out of the white fabric had proved useless. Fitting, really, as he was a wreck and clearly still the black sheep of the family; even on this most important day of his wedding. He gave a dry laugh at the thought that quickly broke off into a hiss of pain behind clenched teeth.

“Knock it off,” Ichiji hissed in his ear. “You’ve pissed Father off enough already.”

“Like I give a fuck,” he slurred slightly, cheek swollen from where both Ichiji and Niji had punched him in the jaw. He grunted when his older brother pulled him back a little, standing him a little more centered on his side of the altar next to him and Yonji as well. Sanji blinked slowly, furrowing his brows and trying to figure out exactly when his younger brother had gotten up there with them.

“You better,” Ichiji kept on, voice slightly muffled as he spoke stiffly. “This wedding is highly important to Father, you better not disappoint him.”

Sanji barked another laugh, drawing attention to the three brothers standing there. His head swam from the sound of his own voice and he tottered on his feet, actually having to rely on Ichiji to pull him upright. Shit, he was such a mess; head swimming, jaw bruising, eyes swollen from crying earlier. Clearing his throat and dropping his eyes to his shoes, he muttered. “Kinda hard when I have been a disappointment all my life to you, huh?”

Ichiji sucked in a breath to respond, but music blared through the room and everyone fell silent, turning to the large double doors that were in the back of the hall. Had this been someone else’s wedding; had Sanji been one of the many people to be sitting in the audience, he may have been excited to be here, thrilled at being lucky enough to be part of the excited couples’ happiest day.

Though, given so far what this day had held and what was to come further still, all Sanji could do was scowl as he watched the procession walk toward him. In all honestly, Pudding really was a beautiful woman and she simply looked stunning in that white dress of hers as she walked down the aisle toward him and his brothers. Yonji made some comment, but Ichiji shushed him as well.

A shiver still ran down Sanji’s spine however at the darkness that dwelled deep within her as she came to stand his opposite, Reiju right behind her. The fact that she smiled sweetly at him, not even bothered by the drying blood on Sanji’s suit, was making his skin crawl. “You look very handsome, Sanji,” she whispered, her voice sweet and alluring.

“You look radiant, Darling,” he answered back automatically, not even thinking about it. Ichiji tapped his fingers against his arm and gave him a slight nod of approval when Sanji glanced over at him.

The music ended and as everyone started to turn back toward the front of the hall, back to where Sanji and everyone else were standing, Niji stood from his spot next to their father and Sanji felt his heart drop from his chest. “I’d like to present the bride and groom with a gift before we start, if I may!” Looking back toward the open doors, he waved a hand before he turned and made himself the center of attention in the space between the seats and where the wedding party stood. A murmur rose through the crowd as heads turned back and forth once more.

“No,” Sanji gasped out, feeling weak in the knees and sick to his stomach. He wobbled on his legs slightly, actually stumbling back a pace before catching himself.

Ichiji was there in a fake gesture of condolence as he sharply hissed in his ear. “Don’t make a single move. You stand here, you fucking hear me? Don’t try a fucking thing.”

Niji’s eyes landed on Sanji and he felt his mouth go dry. “Well actually, I would truly like to present a gift to Big Mom and her family.” Turning back toward the crowd, Sanji’s brother kept on, walking several steps away toward where Charlotte Linlin herself sat. “I’m sure by now, most of you have heard of the small snag my dear brother has caused.”

There was a sudden uproar of people speaking, heads turning, mouths moving as eyes flicked to him. Ichiji’s grip on his arm was painful now, Yonji’s laughter low, yet audible above it all. Pudding stood quietly beside him, her arms resting in front of her with a perfect bouquet of white roses and lilies.

Niji turned his back to the wedding party, looking over his shoulder and giving Sanji a wicked smirk before turning back and bowing slightly. “Charlotte family, if I may; I’d like to introduce to you Roronoa Zoro.” He swept a hand out, encouraging head turns once again as the two men from earlier rounded the corner into the hall, dragging Zoro between them.

“It’s a shame really,” Reiju piped up from behind Pudding. “He’s actually kind of cute.”

“Why are you doing this?” Sanji’s voice sounded small to his own ears as he looked over to Ichiji. “Don’t do this.”

Ichiji grabbed him by the jaw, pain flaring through his skull, and turned his face back toward the open doors as those two men dragged Zoro up the path to drop at the foot of the platform where Sanji stood. Pudding gave the smallest of gasps, but it sounded more like one of enlightenment; of putting a face with a name finally, than out of shock or fear of the situation. “You brought this on yourself. Shut up and watch.”

Zoro looked even worse than he did before, if that were possible. Fresh blood still dripped from his lip, and now, a new cut across his cheek. He was trying to stay on his knees, teetering slightly before he seemed to find his balance and settled with his ass on his heels. Sanji watched as Zoro tried to blink some blood from his eye, lifting his chin to meet Sanji’s eyes.

Something swam through Sanji, a feeling of dread and a want to try and do something one final time. Ichiji stepped behind him and he jerked in that moment to move, only to be stopped as Yonji grabbed his arm and between both brothers, kept Sanji on the altar against his will. He tried to jerk from their hold, but he wasn’t able to break free.

Sanji went to shift his balance, went to kick their legs out from under them and run to the swordsman, but Zoro gave the smallest jerk of his head, telling Sanji no. He squeezed his eyes shut, turning his head as he heard Niji start talking, start telling the story of Little Sanji and how he ran away and got himself married. To his horror, the audience simply laughed like Sanji’s freedom had been a cruel joke they’d been playing on him all these years.

Fuck, what if it had been.

Ichiji’s thumb slid through a wet track on his cheek and only then did Sanji realize he was crying again. “I said you are to watch this, Little Sanji.” His brother jerked his head back to the front. Sanji didn’t fight him, unable to between trying to fight back the tears and his entire body shaking from adrenaline and fear.

He met Zoro’s gaze once more and the sheer resolution in his gaze made Sanji sag back against Ichiji. Why did that shitty bastard have to be so accepting of what was going on here? Why did Zoro always have to put himself in the position of protecting the rest of them? Of protecting him. Why was Sanji always unable to stop him?

He’d stopped listening to what it was Niji was saying, his brother’s words, and the low murmur, background noise to his own panicked thoughts and racing heart. He needed to be doing something, he shouldn’t have just been standing there, but Ichiji’s grip was growing tighter and Sanji found himself simply frozen to his spot as he kept his gaze locked on Zoro’s.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Niji pull a pistol from his waist and Sanji’s body was reacting faster than the rest of him as he jumped forward, only to be stopped by his brothers once again. “No!” The blond heard himself scream, voice cracking and making his throat feel raw. Yonji kicked his feet out from under him and Sanji fell to his knees, making Zoro’s eye go wide and a hush fall over the room. “I love you,” Sanji choked out, not caring who was there and bowing his head forward as tears dropped off his nose.

A hand fisted into his hair, pulling his head back up, twisting his neck to an awkward angle as Sanji’s eyes fell to Zoro once more. He could count the number of times on one hand he’s seen the other man cry, but even through his own tears he could see them slip down Zoro’s cheeks. “It’s okay, Sanji.” Even now, the tone of Zoro’s voice was low, soothing, though it did nothing to help calm Sanji.

Niji paused, thumb on the hammer as he looked over his shoulder to Sanji and grinned. “I told you I would get you back for kicking me, Little Sanji.” Pulling the hammer back, the click as the gun cocked louder than anything else in the hall, Niji sneered and leveled the barrel against Zoro’s temple.

“Ichiji; please!” Sanji pleaded out, throat closing as his vision blurred from his tears. Between Ichiji and Yonji, they dragged Sanji back to his feet, his older brother’s hand still pulling painfully on his hair.

Sanji kept his eyes on Zoro, didn’t dare look away, even as Niji pressed the lip of the barrel tight to the swordsman’s skin, actually nudging his head a little to the side as he did. Zoro’s gaze was on Sanji and him alone. Inhaling deeply, Sanji watched in horror, frozen to his spot as his husband licked blood from the corner of his mouth. Time seemed to slow down and already Sanji could feel himself die inside. “I love you, Sanji.”

“ _Zoro!_ ” The echo of the gunshot was still ringing around the room and Sanji didn’t even recognize his own voice as he screamed the swordsman’s name. His brothers let him go and he dropped to the platform floor in a heap as the swordsman’s body crumpled to the floor. He actually threw up, bile burning up his throat and leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

The room fell silent then, the only sounds being that of Sanji as he tried to inhale, breaths catching in his throat as he buried his face into his forearms and wept into the flooring of the platform. His entire body was trembling, both from his uncontrollable sobbing and shock; nose running, and throat closing off, making it hard to breathe as he tried to gulp in air anyway he could.

It was slow at first, making Sanji snap his head up and try to squint through his tears to see who it was. A deep laughter from one side of the room, quickly joined by what Sanji figured out was the rest of Big Mom’s crew attending the wedding. “Let us continue!” Charlotte Linlin roared and the entire room joined in. Her laugh rang above the rest as Sanji scanned the room, not a single one of them sympathetic to the murder they just witnessed, before his eyes landed on his father.

His hard look and deep frown was anything but approval, not that Sanji had been looking for it anyway as he inhaled to speak. “Get him off the floor,” he growled out and instantly Ichiji and Yonji’s hands were on him, dragging him back to his feet as Sanji fought them the entire way.

“Zoro!” He called out again, voice breaking with his crying.

“You truly are pathetic, Little Sanji,” Ichiji sneered near his ear and Sanji’s breath hitched as he watched Niji calmly holster his weapon and return to his seat next to their father. Yonji actually looked pained for a split second before he schooled his features and cleared his throat, shifting his own stance to brace Sanji’s weight against him.

The two men who’d dragged Zoro in suddenly appeared once more, picking up his body and unceremoniously dragging him back down the walkway toward the doors. “No,” Sanji croaked out, trying to pull away from his brothers. “No, no, _no!_ ” He broke free, jumping off the platform and sprinting for the men at the doorway. They never stopped, never looked back and Sanji vaguely registered a commotion behind him before something heavy slammed into his lower back and suddenly Niji was pinning him to the floor, growling in his ear.

“Let me go!” Sanji struggled under him, fingers clawing at the carpet, Zoro’s blood soaking his fingertips from where some had fallen as they drug him passed. The large double doors slammed shut, rattling on their hinges and Sanji stopped struggling in Niji’s hold, dropping back to the carpet with a choked whimper.

Sanji simply felt numb as his brother picked him up off the ground, Ichiji appearing and between the two, half dragged Sanji back to the platform where the rest of the wedding party stood. He could feel the slight weight of Zoro’s ring in his pocket, a heavy reminder of what he had just witnessed being real and true. The doors literally closing on one part of his life as he was forced to start another chapter.

This wasn’t some dream; he wasn’t going to wake up.

This was Sanji’s new nightmare.

His mind ran blank as the minister started the ceremony. Sanji knew people were speaking around him, but he wasn’t registering the words. He simply stood there, bracketed in by Ichiji, and now Niji, as his sides, Yonji behind him, head bowed as he bit at his lip till it bled.

Sanji cringed when _Sanji Vinsmoke_ came out of the man’s mouth and he instinctively inhaled to state that wasn’t his name, but Ichiji shot him a sidelong glare. So he held his breath, heart pounding in his chest as the minister finished reading his scripted lines and looked up to Sanji in question.

Niji elbowed him in the ribs, making him cough and Sanji quickly cleared his throat as he raised his eyes to meet Pudding’s. She was looking back at him calmly, coolly, calculating his previous actions with the one’s he was displaying now.

Ever so quietly, barely above a whisper, Sanji breathed out the two words he never thought he would have to say again, seeing the large grin that Zoro had plastered across his face that day,  instead of the cold eyes of his new wife. “I do.”


End file.
